Known record pads, such as shown in European patent 325,057, have a top (copy) sheet and a record sheet underlying the copy sheet, with a transfer mechanism (such as carbonless coatings, or carbon paper) between them for transferring indicia placed on the top sheet onto the record sheet. A side margin is provided which secures the sheets to a ring binder or the like, with a perforation along the side edge to allow detachment of the top sheet. A strip of repositional adhesive is provided on the copy sheet at the edge adjacent and parallel to the securing margin, covering the securing edge margin as well. This known record pad is intended to be used with the securing edge margin at the left of the writer. Because of this both the securing edge margin and the strip of repositional adhesive are provided at the left side edge of the copy sheet.
In the prior art construction described above, because the copy sheet carries the strip of repositionable adhesive at its left side-edge, the copy sheet must be pressed on an object with its left side-edge to adhere the copy sheet to the object when a message is written on the copy sheet, and the copy sheet has been removed from the record pad. This is cumbersome for the user since the most commonly used products with repositional adhesive (such as the Moore Business Forms, Inc. "NOTE STIX.RTM." product and 3M's "POST-IT.RTM." products) carry a strip of adhesive at the upper edge of a rectangular sheet and therefore one presses the upper edge of the copy sheet against the object by habit. Of course such a procedure will not work utilizing detached copy sheets from European patent 325,057.
According to the present invention a record pad is provided that has a number of advantages compared to the prior art as exemplified by European 325,057. The record pad according to the present invention is more user friendly for left-handed writers, and provides the strip of repositional adhesive on the copy sheet adjacent the upper margin to make it easier to use in general. The record pad according to the invention also can have a mechanical attachment for securing lo the sheets at their securing edge which may be the upper edge margin so that there is no obstruction for left-handed writers, and when removing the copy sheet from the record pad the action for removing is simply in one direction, there being no necessity to detach any of the copy sheet elements along two different edges. Also according to the invention there is no necessity to provide a strip of adhesive between the securing edge margins such as shown in European 325,057, therefore making it much easier and simpler to remove top sheet portions, and requiring less adhesive to construct the record pad. Also with the construction of the invention it is simpler to secure multiple superimposed sheet sets to each other (with adhesive, staples, or conventional binder elements) without the risk of sliding sheet sets out of position during the securement action. In general the top sheet is attached to the second sheet of each set using repositional adhesive on the back of the top sheet, thus allowing the top sheet to be cut through rather than perforated.
According to one aspect of the present invention a record pad is provided which comprises the following components: A plurality of sheet sets, each sheet set comprising a paper top sheet having a top face and a bottom face, at least one underlying record bottom sheet, and a transfer mechanism for transferring indicia imaged on the top sheet to an underlying the record sheet. The top sheet comprises an upper margin, a lower margin substantially parallel to the upper margin, and first and second side margins substantially perpendicular to the upper and lower margins, the upper margin being at the upper portion of the top sheet during normal use of the top sheet to enter indicia on the top sheet. A securing edge margin of each sheet set of the plurality of sheet sets for connecting the sheet sets in a record pad. And, a pattern of repositional adhesive provided on each top sheet bottom face adjacent to the upper margin and substantially parallel to the upper margin.
The patterns of repositional adhesive are preferably substantially continuous linear strips of adhesive, and the repositional adhesive is of the type such as CLEANTAC.RTM. adhesive sold by Moore Business Forms, Inc. of Lake Forest, Ill., or the adhesive in conventional 3M POST-IT.RTM. notes, or an adhesive such as shown in Swiss patent 452,479. However other patterns, such as discontinuous strips, pluralities of dots or other shapes, or the like may be provided.
Typically the top sheet upper and lower margins are shorter than the top sheet side margins for the entire top sheet, however the individual portions which are separated by lines of weakness, such as perforations, or preferably, through cuts have a longer upper and lower margin than side margins. The securing edge margin of each sheet set may be adjacent the upper margin of each of the top sheets in the record pad to provide the advantages as set forth above, or there could be a conventional securing edge margin along the first side margin. A mechanical attachment is provided adjacent the securing edge margin connecting all of the sheet sets together, and a line of weakness between the top sheet and the mechanical attachment is preferably provided. The mechanical attachment may comprise a conventional ring binder, staples, clamps, or the like.
It is also advantageous to provide the strip or other pattern of repositional adhesive so that it is spaced from a line of weakness that it is adjacent to, to allow a cleaner and more effective detachment of a top sheet portion from the record pad. For this reason the patterns of lo repositional adhesive are preferably spaced from the upper margin or lines of weakness or cut through about 1-5 mm, preferably about 2 mm. Also, as is conventional, it is desirable to provide a foldable flap with the record pad, which may placed underneath the record sheet of the sheet set being utilized at one particular time to act as a writing shield so that indicia is not transferred, undesirably, to lower record sheets.
According to another aspect of the present invention a record pad is provided comprising the following elements: A plurality of sheet sets, each sheet set comprising a paper top sheet having a top face and a bottom face, at least one underlying record bottom sheet. The top sheet being quadrate and comprising an upper margin, a lower margin substantially parallel to the upper margin, and first and second side margins substantially perpendicular to the upper and lower margins, the upper margin being at the upper portion of the top sheet during normal use of the top sheet to enter indicia on the top sheet. A securing edge margin of each sheet set of the plurality of sheet sets for connecting the sheet sets in a record pad. At least one line of weakness in each the top sheet extending substantially parallel to the upper margin dividing the top sheet into at least a first portion containing the upper margin, and at least a second portion on the opposite side of the at least one line of weakness from the upper margin. And, a first pattern of repositional adhesive provided on each the top sheet bottom face adjacent to the upper margin and substantially parallel to the upper margin and at least a second pattern of repositional adhesive on the bottom face of the top sheet adjacent a through cut on the opposite side thereof from the upper margin, the second pattern substantially parallel to the upper margin. The details of the record pad may be as described above. Also the edge margin need not necessarily be secured by the top sheet, but can be secured only by the bottom sheet.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an effective, user friendly, record pad with a conveniently located repositional adhesive pattern. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.